Wednesday 30 October 2013

Owls!

And I am not referring to 'Ordinary Wizarding Levels'! I am referring to the crocheted type!  Two more fluffy little fellows have been made (well, I needed something to crochet in the evenings now that my blanket is finished!)


The first is this cute little chap which I made using the same tutorial from Hopscotch Lane as I have previously used.  I made him for a friend and he is now on his way to the UK.  Hope he likes his new home.  At least I know he will be well looked after!


The next is this rather larger version which I made using the pattern which appeared in a recent edition of  'Love Crochet' magazine. I bought the magazine whilst I was in the UK in September.  He is for my mum.  She saw him on the front cover of the magazine when I was staying with her and decided that she needed to have one.  I hope she likes him!!

Monday 28 October 2013

Satisfaction

There is nothing more satisfying than finishing a project that has been ongoing for some time and, today, I am pleased to tell you that I have finally finished my Navajo Blanket. Yay!!


It has been a project to fall back on in the evenings when I have had no other hand needlework to do and I have really enjoyed it.


I was lucky as the weather has been very mild here for the time of year and, the day I took these photographs, I was able to get an outside shot of my blanket on the front gate.  It is not a huge blanket but, I am pleased to have it finished in time to snuggle over my knees in the coming Winter months.


It is not needed just at the moment though, as we have had some fantastic Autumn sunshine.  Here is a shot of the wonderful Autumn colours I can see from my window at the moment.  (I'm not sure the photograph really does it justice!) Beautiful!!

Thursday 24 October 2013

Aprons

My finished project(s) to show you today are two aprons that I made this past week using a pattern from the book '101 Ways to Stitch Craft Create for all Occasions'.  I used fabrics designed by 'Tilda' which I already had to hand here at home.


The first is on its way to my eldest daughter and the second to my youngest daughter.  I hope they like them!  Both my girls (and my son also) are away from home studying in the UK and I miss them all!!

Wednesday 23 October 2013

Stupendous Stitching!

Recently I signed up for an online class with Craftsy called 'Stupendous Stitching'.  The class is taught by Carol Ann Waugh and, is all about making fibre art using a combination of couching, decorative machine stitching, hand stitching and quilting.  It was a really fun experience following along as Carol (who is easy to understand and has a great sense of humour) explains each of the techniques step by step.


After I had watched the class through for the first time, I thought that it would be the perfect medium for making some embroidery hoop art!  So, as I was practising the techniques, I made this sampler which I have hooped up into a piece of artwork!  I really liked the techniques I learned and I shall certainly be using them again.  I am very pleased with my finished sampler.

 
 

Monday 21 October 2013

Exciting Post

I love it when I get 'exciting post' you know the kind that isn't junk mail or bills!!  Well, this weekend when I walked up to the local Post Office to empty my post box, I had received some exciting post.  The embroidery hoops that I have been waiting for had arrived!!  Yay!!  There are lots of different sizes and my head is full of ideas how to use them!  I'm really looking forward to getting started!!


There was also a delightful book which I had ordered when I ordered the hoops.  'Celebrate with a Stitch' by Mandy Shaw.  I already have several other books by Mandy Shaw and I love them all.  I think this one looks as though it is going to have some cute projects and ideas in it too!!
 
 
I think I'd better go and get the kettle on for a nice cup of tea so that I can enjoy looking through my book and, put down on paper some of my ideas for those hoops!
 
 

Friday 18 October 2013

Another finished hoop!

In my previous post about embroidery hoop art, I believe I mentioned that I had finished another hoop art project.  It is another embroidered project featuring a cute little frog!!


  
            
Here is a close up of the embroidery.


As with the 'Autumn' embroidery that I have already shown you, I finished the back off by turning in a small hem, securing it with a running stitch and then gathering the fabric to the back of the hoop.

 

 
This time though, I thought it would be nice to try out one of the decorative techniques described in Kirsty Neale's book 'Hoop-La!' which I have written about previously.  I decided to decorate the hoop with a crocheted border.  I think it turned out quite cute!!
 
 

Thursday 17 October 2013

Another patchwork pouch

Further to my recent post about patchwork pouches, I thought you might like to see the finished pouch that I made using the Moda Bakeshop pattern that I mentioned.  I made it using scraps of Tilda fabric.



I cut the starting squares slightly smaller than the pattern indicates as I had a smaller zip to hand which I wanted to use.


It is a different shape than the two others that I made and, I like how it has turned out!

Monday 14 October 2013

Embroidery Hoop Art

Have you seen any embroidery hoop art?  For those of you who aren't sure what this is, it involves using an embroidery hoop as the frame for some artwork. It may be embroidery, appliqué or anything else you might like to try.  If you 'google' it, there are some lovely images to look at.  Some pieces of embroidery hoop art are really detailed work. Some of them are extremely simple ideas such as just framing a piece of pretty fabric that you would like to have on display.  Grouping different sized frames together seems very popular and, I have to say I really like the whole idea and style.

I thought I would have a go at making some embroidery hoop art of my own but, I am having a bit of a problem as, I haven't been able to find a very forthcoming supply of wooden embroidery hoops of different sizes in the shops here.  I did find a small hoop (13cm which is just over 5 inches) at a local department store so, I snapped it up to use and, I have now ordered some larger sizes online.  However, that means waiting for them to arrive *sighs impatiently* which means I have to put some of my ideas on 'hold' until they get here!!


In the meantime, I have been sketching some embroidery designs which I thought I could use.  The first of these was inspired by the Autumn. I thought I would go ahead and embroider it so that it was ready to frame in one of the new hoops on order.  However, when I finished embroidering it, I thought it looked quite nice framed in the hoop that I normally use when I embroider (which is made of yellow plastic!) so I trimmed up the back to make it look nice and this is how it looks finished.  However, as I like this hoop to work on my projects with, I may have to transfer it across to one of my 'on order' hoops when they arrive!!


Here is a close up of the embroidery.


And here is a glimpse of how I neatened the back.  I simply cut the background fabric of the embroidery into a large circle and then turned in a tiny hem.  Using a running stitch I stitched all around the edge securing the hem and then, using the same thread, gathered the fabric to the back of the hoop once the embroidery was hooped back in place.


I'm looking forward to my other hoops arriving so that I can experiment with some more embroidery hoop art ideas!  I have now used the small hoop that I bought to make something but, I'll show you that another time!!


Friday 11 October 2013

New Supplies

I recently had an appointment to have the dogs groomed.  This involves dropping the dogs with the groomer and then finding something to do for three hours until it is time to collect them again.  I did have a number of things which I needed to do, including returning my coffee machine (which is new and has stopped working) to the shop for repair, as well as some grocery shopping. I also had some time to browse around the wool section of the department store I returned the coffee machine to.

Needless to say, I came home with some new supplies!  New wool and felt to make some owls from the lovely magazine that I mentioned I brought back with me from England.

 
I think it is going to crochet up into beautiful owls!
 
And the dogs? They look all cute, clean and fluffy!
 
Dexter
 
Poppy
 
Both together
 
PS. I was also able to get a ball of the wool I need to finish off my Navajo Blanket so, no excuses not to get on with it now!!

Tuesday 8 October 2013

Did you know that October is 'Ironing Board Makeover Month'?

Bonnie Olaveson of Cotton Way has declared October 'Ironing Board Makeover Month'.  She has some really cute patterns for ironing board covers in her shop.  Unfortunately, I don't have any before photographs of these ironing boards but, I do have some photographs of two ironing board covers I made using one of her patterns.


I made one for my sister (above) and one for my mum (below).



I think I may have to get the pattern out again and make one for myself as my poor ironing board looks like this!!



Why don't you join in 'Ironing Board Makeover Month' and make yourself a nice new cover!

Monday 7 October 2013

A new obsession

You may recall I recently wrote a post about how I suddenly have to make a certain item and that even when I have made it, it often doesn't satisfy my need to create that item, so I have to make some more.....  Well, I have a new obsession..... zipped fabric purses/pouches/bags (whatever you like to call them). I have always been a bit intimidated by sewing in zips but.....


I was browsing through some photographs on Pinterest when I came across a sort of tutorial for a little zipped pouch.  There were no written instructions, just pictures.  I kept going back to it and thinking 'I'm sure I could make that!'  Well, now I have!

 
Having made one of course, I had to make a second one in a different size!!


Then I found this pattern from the Moda Bakeshop website and I'm off to make that next!


They are a great way to use up all your scraps of fabric and would made cute presents for someone!

Friday 4 October 2013

A Coordinating Table Runner


Earlier in the Summer I made some new placemats for my table from some really cute fabrics by Terri Degenkolb of Whimsicals.  When I was choosing the fabrics and then cutting them out, I also cut up fabric to make a coordinating table runner.  This week I finally got round to piecing it together, quilting it and then finishing it off.

 

I used a pattern that appeared free on the Better Homes and Gardens Website: 'All People Quilt'.  The pattern was designed by Bonnie Olavesen of Cotton Way.  It is a quick and easy pattern and went together very smoothly.


In the end, I haven't put the runner on my kitchen table as I originally planned.  I discovered it was an exact fit for the coffee table in my living room and I am very pleased how it looks on there.  It will also protect the table from any more scratches!!

Wednesday 2 October 2013

Remember this?

One of the first posts that I wrote when I started my humble blog was about a crocheted Navajo Blanket I was in the process of making using a pattern from the book 'Crocheted Throws and Wraps' by 'Melody Griffiths'.  I posted a photograph of the centre of the blanket which was all stitched together ready for some more squares and triangles to be added.  I thought you might be wondering what had happened to it.  Well, the centre is still waiting for some more squares to be added!!


I have made some progress and lots of triangles and squares of different combinations of colours have been made but, I have also hit a problem.


One of the balls of cream wool I bought was a different shade to the rest.  It was whiter than the others.  At first I didn't think it would matter but, when I started adding the next round of squares to the centre block, I wasn't happy.  This resulted in me pulling it all to pieces to start again.  In the process, I lost some of the squares I had already made. Now I need to go and buy some more wool but I don't know when I will get to the wool shop!!  Just thought you might like an update!